Fulham vs. Reading [R]

Reading

To answer the post about why pundits love to hate us, here are my thoughts. Fulham were always considered a old second division team, we were the poor cousins of the Blues down the road, we were unfashionable compared to those high flyers at the bridge, but sometimes we actually had the audacity to climb the heights and challenge our higher class cousins.

In the 60's we had a chariman called Tommy Trinder who was what I suppose Americans would call a vaudeville comedian, so you know the media at the time latched onto that and had a field year or so.

If you are a Fulham supporter in the UK you know how we have always been treated, if you mention you are a Fulham supporter usually the first thing you are greeted with is a laugh, it as been that way since I started going. All of these things go towards the obvious media bias against us, because it is obvious, my son a Man U supporter said to me only last year, dad why does the press and TV commentators hate Fulham so much, so it becomes the easy thing to do, nobody except Fulham followers will question you, and who cares if they do, they are not one of the big clubs, and there are not many of them.

People like to follow winners, its human nature, and to be honest Fulham as never been much of a winning team, we have made the Cup final once in our history, and we lost that. As for west ham being liked, they have always been considered the quaint East end team, they had three players in the World cup winning side, they sing were forever blowing bubbles, they are just a nice family team that everyone loves to do well.

As for calls and consipiracies, if your chairman is suing because he believes that the royal family of your country had his son and his fiancee assainated, and you believe that premis ( I dont) then would it not be easy for them to have a few calls in a soccer match to go against you.

I am not predicting tomorrows outcome because I have no idea how this fulham team is going to play, they stunk against Derby, should have beaten both Arsenal and Chelsea away, and certainly should have won last week. So who knows tomorrow what team will turn up.

 

Fulham needs three points here more than ever. They have some brutal match ups in the following three fixtures and points will be harder than ever to earn if their spirits are down. Both teams will be desperate for three points, so I am not expecting a boring or reserved display from either side. Fulham has better attacking options than Reading, but our backline has left plenty to be desired.

That being said, I believe Fulham will earn the three points that they so desperately need and move up the table. Should be a scrappy fixture and I'm hoping Kuqi features up front. Fulham has been missing that tough rugged presence of a McBride type player.

My prediction: Fulham 2 - 1 Reading

Should be a great day for a match and plenty of FulhamUSA members will be in attendance to cheer on the Whites. I'll be starting off at the Golden Lion as my friends are interested in seeing the Arsenal v. Man Utd match and then it is off to Craven Cottage. I'll see you at the park.

 

Re: Reading

Thanks AltantaJohn. Interesting points. Never thought about the calls and MAF's suit.

Do the media and pundits in England also give a hard time to other teams, say the ones recently promoted into the premiership?

 

Thank God we're playing Reading this week:

[from soccernet.com]

Young defenders Adrian Leijer and Nathan Ashton could be in line to make their debuts as injuries and suspensions have robbed manager Lawrie Sanchez of key players. Sanchez is without the suspended duo of Carlos Bocanegra and Paul Konchesky. Chris Baird, Moritz Volz (shoulder and groin), Phillipe Cristanval (knee), Kasey Keller (bicep), Lee Cook (knee) and Ian Pearce (ankle) are all unavailable through injury.

 

so Ashton and Leijer have been included in the side! Volz is out and there seems to be some confusion as to whether Baird is available. Tomorrow could be an even bigger defensive adventure than normal!!

 

They could be in the side, nothing official until tomorrow morning. Probably just one of them figures into the side.

Kuqi hopefully doesn't start because he isn't good and wasn't really brought in to play.

 

I won't be in the chat room tomorrow because I will be watching my kids games soooo ...... COYW's!!!!!

 

In Sanchez's video preview of the game he says Omozusi is starting at RB again and either Ashton or Leijer will start at LB.

 

it was derby, but equal in its stupidity. at least brownie didnt get caught.

 

With that backline, it's probably going to take 3(goals) to get 3(points). Of the two, I'd prefer to see the young Aussie get the run out.

 

Well, there's no telling who will be on the pitch for us tomorrow. I look for a (3-2) victory. Like always it won't be easy, but we will get the right bounces for a change.

Niemi
Omozusi - Stef - Hughes - Leijer
Smertin
Davies -- Bouazza
Dempsey
Healy -- Kamara

 

I'm not brave brave enough to pick a starting side, but I have a feeling about this -- 2-1, W's over reading. Hopefully my feeling isn't some Tottenham-flavored lasagne.

The most interesting thing about the game tomorrow is when the tape delayed showing is on, my soccer-hating brother will be at my house with his young kids, so I am going to show them what their old man is missing :banana: . Good luck W's

 

I'm sorry I'll miss the chat room. I'll be in the air on the way to Manchester (NH, not England). Cheer ' em on for me.

 

If I can still something from Don...

WOOO-HOOO!!!

Got to love it!! COYW
MK

 

Sorry...steal.

 

Just the result that Fulham needed. Brilliant display from Fulham's young defenders and I was pleased with the intensity that Fulham maintained throughout the match. They imposed their will on Reading and there was very little Reading could do to stop Fulham's attack.

Davies is the MOTM. Without question. He hustled, tracked back, won the 50/50 chances, made tough tackles and played a part in every goal scored. The Hammy End roared in approval at every header that Kuqi won. He provides that tough and rugged edge to the attack that Fulham has been lacking since McBride's injury.

I've lost my voice and couldn't be happier.

Mike... unfortunately I didn't have a chance to meet up with you guys. I was at the Golden Lion in the build up to the match and missed out on sharing some pints with some yank Fulham supporters. Hope everyone had a great time.

 

Fully agree with you, mate.
Simon Davies MOM without doubt.
And, apart from the win in itself, there are other two good news: (1) we are going to recover Jimmy that is by far our best player; (2) now it is quite official that there are at least four squads weaker than us: Derby, Reading, Bolton and Wigan, imo.....

 

I will be controversial and put Steven Davis as my MOM. He was everywhere! Davies does the glory stuff, and alright, he scored 1, set up 1 and was integral in 1! But - I was really impressed with Steven Davis. The energy levels of the guy are tremendous.

Also, a big shout out to Les Reid (or whoever poached him from Charlton) Nathen Ashton, I thought, was very impressive on debut. He looked nervous and a little shell shocked to begin with, but every time he was called upon to do something he did it. He is piss quick too. As the game went on he even got up the flanks a couple of times and put in a cross or two.

Omozusi was very good, shame about his red card.

What does stand out is that Fulham really lack a truely creative midfield presence. Someone who has time on the ball, look up and make the pass, someone to inject pace and control - Steed Malbranque perhapse (or Jimmy Bullard)? We should have been comfortable today, but in the end I thought Reading were hard done by.

Good things from today: Centre backs played well. 2 Youngsters were really good. Midfield worked themselves into the ground.

Bad things from today: We tried to hang onto a lead for 3/4 of the game. Kamara looked lightwieght and was poor. The midfield is not very creative. We cannot hold onto the ball.

The best thing from today: 3 points.